# Alvin M. Owsley

Alvin Mansfield Owsley (June 11, 1888 – April 3, 1967) was an American diplomat who served as the National Commander of the American Legion from 1922 to 1923, and later served as United States minister to Romania, the Irish Free State, and Denmark.

## Early life and education

Owsley was born and raised in Denton, Texas, son of Alvin Clark and Sallie (Blount) Owsley. He remained in Texas with his family while working for his elementary and secondary education, and also while attending a term at North Texas State College in 1904. Later that year, he joined the Virginia Military Institute, where he developed into captain of Company A, and in 1909 graduated in the upper tier of his class. He completed his law degree at the University of Texas in 1912. He married Lucy Ball of Muncie, Indiana, in May 1925. They had three children. He began work in 1912 with his father's legal firm, but then served in the Texas Legislature in 1913–1914. In 1915, he became the county and district attorney in Denton County, a title he held until 1917.

## World War I

Owsley traded his political and legal responsibilities to serve in World War I with the 36th Infantry Division. He was involved in many important World War I campaigns and offensives through 1918, especially the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. He was honourably discharged as a lieutenant colonel in 1919. His discharge was accompanied by several military decorations as well, including the French Legion of Honour and the Order of Polonia Restituta.

## The American Legion

Owsley was present in 1919 at the formative caucus meeting of the American Legion in Paris, and was later elected National Commander in 1921, spending his year long term in support of veterans' issues, such as prosecution of war profiteers. Using official records from Washington, Owsley found that over one hundred thousand war veterans were not receiving adequate financial support. During his 1922–1923 tenure as leader of the American Legion, Owsley made numerous speeches in which he openly endorsed and supported both Benito Mussolini and Fascism, and drew analogies between the fascist movement and the American Legion. Owlsey added, "If ever needed, the American Legion stands ready to protect our country's institutions and ideals as the Fascisti dealt with the destructionists who menaced Italy!" Asked if he was willing to take over the government in order to do so, Owsley immediately replied:
   "Exactly that. The American Legion is fighting every element that threatens our democratic government — soviets, anarchists, I.W.W., revolutionary socialists and every other 'red' . . .  Do not forget that the Fascisti are to Italy what the American Legion is to the United States."
Owlsey's priorities were on display at a San Francisco assembly just before retiring from his head position, where he stated that better hospitalization, rehabilitation, adjusted compensation, and Americanization were necessary for veterans.

## Career

From 1923 to 1933 the legal partnership of Burgess, Owsley, Story, and Stewart was the focus of Owsley's career. In 1924, he received 152 votes for Vice President at the Democratic National Convention. With gained stability at home in Texas, in May 1925 Alvin married Lucy Ball, daughter of Frank Ball of the Ball Brothers. He attempted an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination to the United States Senate in 1928. In 1933, Owsley was rewarded for his efforts as a campaign speaker for Franklin D. Roosevelt with an appointment as the US Minister to Romania (1933–1935). He also served as minister to the Irish Free State (1935–1937) and completed his diplomatic work as minister to Denmark (1937–1939). He resigned in 1939, with increased international tensions and Roosevelt's announcement for a third term as President.

## Later life

Though a Democrat, Owsley rejected Roosevelt's bid to run for a third term and campaigned for Wendell Willkie in 1940. Owsley remained in politics, but helping the Texas campaigns of Republicans Thomas Dewey and Dwight D. Eisenhower. In 1941, he started work for his father-in-law, Frank Ball, at the Ball Brothers' Glass Manufacturing Company, first in Muncie, Indiana, and in 1944 moving to Dallas, where he retired as vice president. He represented the American Legion in support of American soldier William S. Girard in his 1957–1958 manslaughter trial in Tokyo. Owsley died in Dallas in 1967.

## Legacy

At the University of Texas, the Alvin Owsley Endowed Presidential Scholarship in Law was established in 1991 for his son Alvin M Owsley Jr.